Stuck In the Middle Part III
by aakrzton
Summary: During Stadium Highlights in November 2011, I get upset for not receiving any type of award. That is, at the very end of the show, when Mr. Beresik gives me not just one, but two awards: one for Most Enthusiastic and another for Most Memorable Senior Speech. We all have one final dinner at J&S Pizza and the moral of the story is that you don't have to be a leader to be recognized.


It was the night of Stadium Highlights on November 3, 2011. Unfortunately, the event was moved to the auditorium because the roof in the gymnasium leaked due to all the late October rain. Of course, I wondered what would happen during the course of the show. Would my parents, Nadine and Willie, be proud of me, or would they be mad at me because I was not a natural leader? Our band director, Mr. Beresik then walked up to the stage and gave the opening remarks. "I would like to welcome everyone to the 2011 Stadium Highlights show, where we perform all our music from the fall season. Everyone in the band has worked very hard this season, and here we present to you our show!" Our drum majors, Sarah Phillips and James Hiller, lead us through the opening drill, and then the cadence played while Mr. Beresik gave his usual opening remarks. Inside, I felt a little bitter, because it meant that I was not a natural leader. "We proudly present to you the music of Maroon 5, including Misery, Makes Me Wonder, This Love, She Will Be Loved, and their newest hit single, Moves Like Jagger." Then, we performed the whole show, but then during the Makes Me Wonder band front feature, I got nervous and dropped my cymbals to the ground after seeing drill team captain Carly Shay's halftime performance. Everyone stopped and stared at me. I blushed, but then picked up my cymbals and began again. Not long after that, Mr. Beresik gave out awards to everyone who had remarkable qualities. "For the awards of drum majors, we proudly present the awards to Miss Sarah Phillips, Grade 12 and Mr. James Hiller, Grade 12." Sarah and James then walked up to get their awards from Mr. Beresik. "And the award for Most Improved goes to Henri LeFevre, Grade 12," Mr. Beresik then continued. This made me cry harder, because I never got recognized, and Henri was never a leader, either. Mr. Beresik then came running over to me. "Angel, kiddo, what's wrong?" Mr. Beresik then asked. "How come I never got an award for anything?" I asked. "Don't you guys all remember the important speech I gave at one of the football games?" "We're going to play some stand cheers now, and we'll talk about it later, okay?" Mr. Beresik then went back to doing his job. We then played the stand cheers Go Highlands, Fite Fite Fite, Livin' On a Prayer, Pretty Fly for a White Guy, Final Countdown, Stadium Jams Vol. 1, etc. Soon after, Mr. Beresik then gave me not one, but two awards, one for Most Enthusiastic and another for Best Senior Speech. I felt pleased and honored. "Thanks, Mr. Beresik!" I then shook his hand and gave me a hug. "I feel a lot better now!" Sarah, James, and Henri then came up to me, as well. "Congratulations, guys!" I acknowledged everyone. "Congrats to you, too, Angel!" James then remarked to me. "Are you feeling okay now?" Sarah asked. "Yes, I am, Sarah, and thanks for being such a nice friend," I replied nicely. "You too, James. You're a good friend, too. Henri, I didn't know you would most likely receive an award. Congratulations!" "Thank you, Angel," Henri then replied. "I think your speech at the one football game was amazing, Angel," Sarah complimented. "I realized something, Sarah," I then pointed out. "Henri and I are not leaders like you and James are, but at least we still got special awards." "Right." "And... it seems to me like my other friends, Alex Russo and Justin Evans are happy just being President and Vice President of the Band Council!" We then played Wipeout and Silky to close the show. After the show was over, my dad, Willie drove me back to the house in the car, congratulating me. "Would you like to go to J&S Pizza with your friends instead of going home with me, because you worked so hard in band this year, even if you weren't a leader?" he then asked. "Of course I would, Dad," I then replied. "The marching band is like my second family." "I'm so proud of you for a great marching band season," he acknowledged while dropping me off at J&S Pizza at the Heights Plaza. "This dinner is for all the non-leaders who were recognized this marching band season," I then declared happily to my fellow band members. I learned an important lesson this fall: you don't have to be a leader, whether it's in the senior class or the marching band, to get special recognition. The End


End file.
